11/26/2005

yasukuni, a japanese truth

the japanese embassy in singapore protested to lianhe zaobao for reporting on koizumi's visit to the shrine negatively. they explained that koizumi went there to pay respect for the soldier's sacrifice for the peace and prosperity of japan. from the japanese point of view, this is true. the soldiers fought and died for japan and the emperor.
from this issue one can clearly see that truth is different when seen from a different angle. all the east asian countries who suffered japanese occupation and atrocities would not forget what the japanese soldiers had done to them. the british and australian and other allied soldiers who were imprisoned in changi and those who survived the burmese death railway are still seething with pain and anger.
then again, in japan today's forum there was an indian national who praised the japanese invasion in india and for helping the indians fought the british. there was also an indian independent army supported by the japanese. according to this indian national, india was grateful to japan for weakening the british raj. so at least there is someone who is thankful for the role of japan during the second world war.
the yasukini visit is a glorious event to the japanese and their leaders, especially those who seek to revive japanese militarism and japanese glory. for the victims, it is a totally different story, a story of pain and suffering, of shame and humiliation. the japanese would want to relive those moments of their glorious past. the rest of asia, maybe except india, would like to forget that period of their history if they could. japanese visit to yasukuni is a painful reminder of what the asian countries had suffered.
would koizumi and other japanese leaders want to continue to remind the rest of asia of their 'great adventure' to liberate the asian countries and bring peace and prosperity to the east asia co prosperity sphere?

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